Monday, March 1, 2021

Tuesday, What a difference a day makes!

      


I have to say that I love March. Even though the days do get noticeably a little longer in February, they really start to become Sunny in March. I remember when I was coaching, our competition season was always around St. Patrick's day.  I would enter the gym at 5:30 in the morning in the dark and leave in the most glorious sunlight, by the time we were heading off to competition. I loved not driving home in the dark and the cold.

It was 60 degrees here today, but I was stuck in the house in the middle of jam hell.  I swear I hate my stove.  I want my gas stove back so bad.  You cannot cool down this stove top once it is hot.  It heats up instantly but with gas you have much more control.

My first batch managed to boil over just a little which has never happened to me before.  But the second batch was a disaster with a major boil over and then to get the damn thing clean I damaged the cook top.  So frustrating.  Even hubs is encouraging me to switch it out.  We have always used cast iron and we cannot get the cast iron not to cool down.  Anyway three batches of jam done.  29  various size jars.  20 of huckleberry and 9 of cherry, raspberry, huckleberry.  It is delicious. We had a little of the left over ( not enough for a jar)on sugar free ice cream. 

I made a large bag of home made shake and bake and put it in the freezer, to use for chicken and pork chops.  Hubs put out the portable green house, so now I have no excuses not to start my seedlings.  I will keep them in the house for a few more weeks or at least until they are up. But that is a project for another day. He also started the new enlarged chicken run.

No sewing was done today, but I had several people pick up and another wedding dress go out.  It is nice to start the month with some money.  Last month it was like pulling hens teeth to get any cash in this house. I was able to fill all my savings envelopes and still have money left over to apply to my monthly bill payoff.  Yesterday I was some what discouraged with the month and today I felt like, I can do this!  It was a wonderful feeling.

Schmills was over with Kelsa while his mom taught, and he loved the baby chicks.  He picked one out that is especially his. He named it Peepers. He wants me to bring them up to his school.  I told him to ask his teacher and I would. It was a long day yesterday and I am very tired.  I still have dishes to wash but they can wait until tomorrow.

Trying to decide, besides some sewing whether to concentrate on taxes and get it over with, or get my seedlings started?  And the age old question what will we have for dinner?  A freezer search is in my future.

Now that all the years fruit is out of the inside freezer, I really need to clean it.  It has spills, and melting.  Such a mess. I might have to get that done today as there is plenty of room now in the chest freezer in the garage. I am blessed with work.

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

Kim

27 comments:

  1. Yes! You have much more control with a gas stove. I grew up on gas and moved here to electric and it does take a while to cool down. You will get use to it eventually, but the learning curve stinks.

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    1. I hate it. I have a man coming over to give me an estimate to run gas to a new stove. Now granted it will be a while, but at Least I will know the cost.

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  2. Your jam/jelly sounds yummy. I would have nothing but a gas stove any more. I love them.

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    1. Well Hubby really wants me to switch this out, but I want to wait until I can pay cash.

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  3. My daughter brought us back huckleberry flavored treats from either Montana or Idaho. Now I get the connection.I've only had electric coils or cooktops my whole married life so guess I've mastered, but gas is nice.

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    1. I would gladly take coils over this mess. I have always hated flat cook tops.

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  4. I have a (free) electric stove and just do refrigerator jam because it is way less complicated. I keep the fruit (usually mulberries or figs because they are free to me) in the freezer and just do a batch at a time, use it up, and then do another batch. Notice the key word here is free. Momma's house (which is my middle son's house now) has a fig tree. My neighbor has a mulberry tree that encroached somewhat onto my yard, so I pick all the mulberries on my side (they never use their side), and my ex gave me the stove when he got a new one. I have had it nine years, the glass "eye" on one side cracked so I do not use either "eye" on that side, and just use the one eye on the left side. Also, the over temp is off, but free is free and I have learned to adjust. I have been in my house for nine years today. Wow, time flies. Cindy in the South

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    1. I love fresh figs and they will grow here. But mulberries although they also grow here I am not familiar with. I do the jam and give a lot away as gifts to people. Plus the kids. Huckleberries are a real treat and hard to get. The jam can be 20.00 for a small jar. But hubs loves to go out to the woods and pick them.

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  5. So glad that things are looking up!
    Aww I bet Schmills and the baby chicks together were so cute! Hope Peepers has a long and happy life.
    Sorry about the jam problems, but I'm sure it is delicious.
    Have a great week.

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    1. I had some on toast this morning and it was so good.

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  6. I totally agree that gas is much nicer to cook on than electric. It is a learning curve for sure.

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    1. Well it is a learning curve I am failing I am afraid.

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  7. I grew up with huckleberries, & love the jam! Yum. Wish we were closer :-)

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    1. I think you and I could get in a lot of trouble together.

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  8. Anything boiling over is a mess, but especially sticky jelly! It is warmer at your house than mine. I just opened the door and it is frigid out--45F and damp. I have not had gas heat in 40 years, but I finally adjusted to using electric.

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    1. meant I had not had a gas stove in 40 years.

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    2. I really miss my stove, I thought I could get used to this one but I am failing.

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  9. I do love a gas cooktop, but I prefer an electric oven, so I bought a dual fuel stove for the best of both worlds!
    I have only had a jelly spill over once and it was enough for forever!

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    1. It was such a mess and then trying to get it off I made small chips in the cook top. So frustrating.

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  10. I've always had gas stoves & I find them much better than electric. Peepers is a great name for the chicken! :)

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    1. I know and he is so cute. The smallest one that is yellow with black spots. I wonder what she will look like grown up?

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  11. Would you believe I always had electric ranges until just a few years ago? Oh my goodness! Where have these gas ranges been all my life??? LOL Have a cozy evening. Sunny here too, but COLD!

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    1. I know. Hubs talked me into one years ago and I was afraid of it. I guess I remember the old ones you would have to hand light as a kid. But I was thrilled almost immediately.

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  12. I knew Schmills would love the baby chicks ... what a cute name he has given his. I hope you can take them to the school- the kids would adore them.

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    1. It is his 5th birthday tomorrow. I can't beleive he is that old.

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  13. Aww, I just bet Schmills will be wanting to be with those baby chicks every day. In schools here one of the yearly projects is hatching chicks or ducks. The students of all ages just love it.

    God bless.

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    1. I have heard of classes doing that. That would be very fun. Until they wanted to bring them home as pets...

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